New look, new players - new Superleague season

4th December 2012

Superleague squads announced for 2013 NSL Season

In two months’ time the 2013 Netball Superleague season will start in earnest with a host of top names playing in the league. It isn’t just the franchises who have been busy chopping and changing over the summer, the league has also announced a brand new logo that the Superleague will be played under.

The new logo incorporates the colours of all eight franchises and includes the twitter handle that you can follow to keep right up to date with all of the latest Superleague action, news and behind the scenes gossip.

With the squads now registered following a rigorous pre-season and selection process, the final 15 players selected for each franchise makes for some interesting reading.

In arguably the biggest news, England captain Pamela Cookey has returned to Team Bath from Surrey Storm and will line-up with Serena Guthrie who dons the blue and yellow dress having taken a short break from the game.

Also making their comebacks for Bath having spent last season in the southern hemisphere are Stacey Francis and Rosie Allison. With a strong England flavour to their squad, Jess Garland will be hoping to see her side competing for the title come the Grand Final in May.

Some other notable changes include Alex Sinclair moving south from Loughborough Lightning to join Storm along with Sophie Morgan who leaves Celtic Dragons and heads to Guildford. Tamsin Greenway isn’t registered as a Storm player and will concentrate on leading her side as head coach.

There is exciting news for Lightning fans as two international players have been added to their ranks. Jamaican attacker Vanessa Walker joins Barbados star Nikita Piggott in Loughborough for the new season as Olivia Murphy’s side look to Caribbean flair to inspire them next year.

Hertfordshire Mavericks welcome back Layla Guscoth from an injury which saw the promising England youngster out on the side lines for the previous campaign. Over in Leeds, the Yorkshire Jets have included promising youngster Jessica Shaw, younger sister of England’s Rachel, in their squad.

A trio of overseas players will be welcomed back to the Superleague as Celtic Dragons have retained Lottisha Cato to lead their attack, Team Northumbria, who have lost Captain Sam Holt, keep hold of Jatjinda Kambatuku and Manchester Thunder have Janelle Lawson back in the shooting circle.

The season gets underway on Thursday, February 7th with Team Bath taking on Celtic Dragons in a derby clash. Also in the opening round, Jets welcome Thunder, Mavericks visit Storm and Northumbria host Lightning.